The Writers Block

A weekly post-con-style roundtable romp with some of the most outspoken (yet still employed) creators in comics. Show biz war stories. State of the comic union. Furious debates over ‘80s televisions shows. Great lobster bisque recipes. Something for everybody.

We have voluntarily self-rated this production as PG-13. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Listen to the preview trailer!

Also available on YouTube if you'd prefer to see everyone's lovely faces!

About The Show

YOUR HOSTS:

DAVID AVALLONE
David has kicked around Hollywood for over thirty years and still has some of his sanity left. In 2014, after a long career spent mostly in indie films, he started writing comics. He's mostly known for writing pulp heroes like VAMPIRELLA, THE SHADOW, DOC SAVAGE, ZORRO and creating kick-ass comic adventures for real world icons BETTIE PAGE and ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK. He's particularly proud of his original comics, DRAWING BLOOD and RADICALLY REARRANGED RONIN RAGDOLLS, co-created with some nobody named Kevin (coughTMNTcough) Eastman. He is the second best-dresssed man in comics, which might be a pretty low bar.
Twitter: @DAvallone
Instagram: @DavidAvalloneFreelance
Website: davidavallonefreelance.com
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2EEiRzf
Comixology: https://www.comixology.com/David-Avallone/comics-creator/42762

RYLEND GRANT
Rylend has been a working screenwriter in Hollywood for 15 years, developing film and television projects with folks like JJ Abrams, Ridley Scott, Luc Besson, John Woo, Justin Lin, and F. Gary Gray. He is the Ringo Award-winning creator of comic books like ABERRANT, BANJAX, THE JUMP, and THE PEACEKEEPERS. He is an ordained Soto Zen Buddhist monk in the lineage of Brad Warner and Gudo Nishijima. He once taught Mike Tyson how to meditate.
Twitter: @rylendgrant
Instagram: @rylendgrant
Linktree: linktr.ee/rylendgrant
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3hNfXWY
Comixology: https://www.comixology.com/Rylend-Grant/comics-creator/176093

Art

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Episode Archive

Tilly Bridges

Episode Number: 97

David and Rylend gleefully take the red pill, stay in Wonderland, and Tilly Bridges - author of the incredible new book Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix - shows them how deep the rabbit hole goes. Luckily, Rylend knows Kung fu.

Episode download: TWB097.mp3

TILLY BRIDGES
Twitter: @TillyBridges
Instagram: @heckyeahtillybridges
Website: http://birdguest.com
Website: http://tillystranstuesdays.com

Grab Begin Transmission: The trans allegories of The Matrix on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Begin-Transmission-trans-allegories-Matrix/dp/B0BY2FCSVX/

Release Date: July 26, 2023

Run Time: 1:36:45
Moni Barrette

Episode Number: 96

David and Rylend chat with librarian/Creators Assemble Co-Founder Moni Barrette about the wonder that is the public library, the value of comics and pop culture as teaching/literacy tools, and the group colorfully and enthusiastically tells book burners to go ‘F’ themselves.

Episode download: TWB096.mp3

MONI BARRETTE
Twitter: @MoniBarre
Instagram: @MoniBarre

CREATORS ASEMBLE
Twitter: @CreatorsAssemb
Instagram: @CreatorsAssemb
Website: https://www.creatorsassemble.org

OTHER LINKS
The Fight Against Book Bans: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/fight-against-book-bans-9781440879760/
CA! on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/creatorsassemble

Release Date: July 19, 2023

Run Time: 1:24:08
Josh Miller

Episode Number: 95

David and Rylend chat with screenwriter Josh Miller (Violent Night, Sonic the Hedgehog) about Roger Corman, Andy Sidaris, Lloyd Kauffman, and about what it really takes to hang in the often onerous Hollywood game for 20+ years… and Rylend and Josh gleefully reminisce about the time they spent together at Steven Seagal concerts back in the aughts… yes, CONCERTS… Steven Seagal actually put out a few blues albums back then… we’re serious… look it up.

Episode download: TWB095.mp3

JOSH MILLER
Twitter: @JoshMillerLite
Instagram: @josh_s_miller

Best Movies Never Made
Twitter: @NeverMadeFilm
Instagram: @bestmoviesnevermade
Website: anchor.fm/never-made

Release Date: July 12, 2023

Run Time: 1:46:33
Richard Fairgray

Episode Number: 94

David and Rylend chat with cartoonist Richard Fairgray about love, hate, social and political turmoil, and his new Fanbase Press release FOUR-COLOR HEROES. Also, Rylend talks WWWAAAYYY too much about Dominic Toretto (what the hell else is new?) and David works through his rather significant issues with THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL.

Episode download: TWB094.mp3

RICHARD FAIRGRAY
Twitter: @RichardFairgray
Instagram: @richardfairgrayauthor
Website: richardfairgray.com

Release Date: June 28, 2023

Run Time: 1:53:58
WGA Strike with Susan Hurwitz-Arneson

Episode Number: 93

David and Rylend get another frontline report on the WGA Strike from TV pro and Sony AM picket captain Susan Hurwitz-Arneson (Preacher, The Tick). The crew talks writers rooms, strike culture, and how to combine errands with picketing.

Episode download: TWB093.mp3

SUSAN HURWITZ-ARNESON
Twitter: @batdorkgirl
Instagram: @susanhurwitzarneson
Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2409134/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Release Date: June 21, 2023

Run Time: 1:11:07
Andrew Pepoy

Episode Number: 92

David and Rylend sit down with Simone and Ajax creator Andrew Pepoy to talk cartooning, comic strips, and librarial influences… and the guys have an exceedingly hard time deciding what to purchase from this month’s Scholastic “book order.”

Episode download: TWB092.mp3

ANDREW PEPOY
Twitter: @andrewpepoy
Instagram: @andrewpepoy
Website: pepoy.com

Release Date: June 14, 2023

Run Time: 1:09:30
The Writers Strike with Christopher Cantwell

Episode Number: 91

David and Rylend sit down with HALT AND CATCH FIRE co-creator/showrunner Christopher Cantwell to delve deep into the philosophical and psychological ramifications of the current Writers Guild strike.

Episode download: TWB091.mp3

CHRISTOPHER CANTWELL
Twitter: @ifyoucantwell
Instagram: @ifyoucantwell

Release Date: June 7, 2023

Run Time: 1:34:22
The Writers Strike with Melody Cooper

Episode Number: 90

David and Rylend sit down with film/TV/comics writer Melody Cooper to discuss the complicated ins and outs of the current Writers Guild strike, to hash out where AI might be headed (from an art/writing standpoint), and to seriously examine whether or not Dr. Dre started this whole mess when he helped create digital Tupac back in 2012.

Episode download: TWB090.mp3

MELODY COOPER
Twitter: @melodyMcooper
Instagram: @melodycooperfilm
Website: melodyMcooper.com

Release Date: May 24, 2023

Run Time: 1:43:23
Ray-Anthony Height

Episode Number: 89

David and Rylend sit down with one of their absolute favorite people in the creatorverse - Ray-Anthony Height (MIDNIGHT TIGER, STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA) - to discuss what a writer can, should, and necessarily must pour into a story emotionally, philosophically, and experientially… they also talk about ROAD HOUSE a lot, you know, because it’s freakin’ INCREDIBLE?

Episode download: TWB089.mp3

RAY-ANTHONY HEIGHT
Facebook: Studio Skye-Tiger: Home of Ray-Anthony Height

Release Date: May 3, 2023

Run Time: 1:32:26
Derek McCaw and Bearded Comic Bro

Episode Number: 88

David and Rylend sit down with Derek McCaw (Fanboy Planet) and the Bearded Comic Bro for part 2 in their “covering comics” discussion series… More on interviewing creators and writing reviews… and much more of Rylend telling people to go “F” themselves.

Episode download: TWB088.mp3

DEREK MCCAW
Twitter: @FanboyPlanet
Instagram: @FanboyPlanet
Website: fanboyplanet.com

BEARDED COMIC BRO
Twitter: @beardedcomicbro
Instagram: @beardedcomicbro
YouTube: https://t.co/G5eZk2XOcP

Release Date: April 26, 2023

Run Time: 1:16:56
Blake Morgan and Brian Wayne

Episode Number: 87

David and Rylend sit down with Blake Morgan (Blake’s Buzz) and Brian Wayne (Cheers to Comics) to talk the ins and outs, the highs and lows of covering comics… interviewing creators, writing reviews, knocking heads with idiots in hate groups. Oh yeah… and Rylend tells, like, A BUNCH of people to go “F” themselves.

Episode download: TWB087.mp3

BLAKE MORAGAN
Twitter: @blakesbuzz
Instagram: @blakesbuzz
Patreon: http://patreon.com/blakesbuzz
Website: drum.io/blakesbuzz

BRIAN WAYNE
Twitter: @cheerstocomics
Instagram: @cheerstocomics
Website: linktr.ee/cheerstocomics

Release Date: April 19, 2023

Run Time: 1:43:08
State of the Comics Union Panel from WonderCon

Episode Number: 86

Live from WonderCon ’23, David and Rylend chat with a gang of seasoned comic professionals - David Booher (CANTO), Barbra Dillon (EIC Fanbase Press), Charlie Stickney (WHITE ASH) and Ray Anthony Height (STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA) - about the current state of the comic book industry… they discuss the controversies, the challenges, and some possible solutions.

Episode download: TWB086.mp3

DAVID M. BOOHER
Twitter: @davidbooher
Instagram: @davidmbooher
Website: davidbooher.com

BARBRA DILLON
Twitter: @barbrajdillon
Instagram: @barbrajdillon

FANBASE PRESS
Twitter: @Fanbase_Press
Instagram: @fanbasepress
Website: fanbasepress.com

RAY ANTHONY HEIGHT
Instagram: @artofraheight
Website: studioskyetiger.com

CHARLIE STICKNEY
Twitter: @charlesstickney
Instagram: @whiteashcomics
Website: whiteashcomic.com

Release Date: April 5, 2023

Run Time: 52:15
Kickstarter Now!

Episode Number: 85

David and Rylend chat with Kickstarter Hall-of-Famers Pat Shand (STEAMY) and Madeleine Holly-Rosing (BOSTON METAPHYSICAL SOCIETY) about all the fun happening on the platform right now... and Pat’s cat repeatedly tries to seize control of the broadcast.

Episode download: TWB085.mp3

PAT SHAND
Twitter: @PatShand
Instagram: @PatShand
Website: linktr.ee/PatShand

CHECK OUT THE STEAMY KICKSTARTER

MADELEINE HOLLY-ROSING
Twitter: @MHollyRosing
Instagram: @mcholly1

CHECK OUT THE BOSTON METAPHYSICAL SOCIETY KICKSTARTER

Release Date: March 29, 2023

Run Time: 1:06:49
War Stories Panel from LACC

Episode Number: 84

Live from L.A. Comic Con, David and Rylend chat with a gang of seasoned comic professionals - David Booher, Melissa Flores, and Ray Anthony Height - about breaking in, falling out, and surviving the COVID 19 storm.

Episode download: TWB084.mp3

DAVID M. BOOHER
Twitter: @davidbooher
Instagram: @davidmbooher
Website: https://davidbooher.com

MELISSA FLORES
Twitter: @misty_flores
Instagram: @misty_flores
Website: mistyflores.com

RAY ANTHONY HEIGHT
Instagram: @artofraheight
Website: www.studioskyetiger.com

Release Date: January 4, 2023

Run Time: 55:08
Where’s the Front Door? Panel from LACC

Episode Number: 83

Live from L.A. Comic Con, David chats with a gang of seasoned comic professionals - Charlie Stickney, Liana Kangas, Scott Koblish, and Chuck Patton - about breaking into the business. Surprise tip: work at a frame store.

Episode download: TWB083.mp3

CHARLIE STICKNEY
Twitter: @charlesstickney
Instagram: @whiteashcomics
Website: whiteashcomic.com

LIANA KANGAS
Twitter: @lianakangas
Instagram: @lianakangas
Website: bio.site/lianakangas

SCOTT KOBLISH
Twitter: @koblish
Instagram: @scottkoblish
Website: koblish.blogspot.com

CHUCK PATTON
Twitter: @ChuckPatton9
Instagram: @chuckpattonart
Website: artofchuckpatton.com

Release Date: December 21, 2022

Run Time: 57:43
What Editors Want Panel from LACC

Episode Number: 82

Live from L.A. Comic Con, David and Rylend chat with a gang of seasoned comic editors/shot callers - Fanbase Press EIC Barbra Dillon, Heavy Metal CEO Matt Medney, and Top Cow Publisher/COO Matt Hawkins - looking to finally definitively answer the question… What are publishers looking for?

Episode download: TWB082.mp3

BARBRA DILLON
Twitter: @barbrajdillon
Instagram: @barbrajdillon

FANBASE PRESS
Twitter: @Fanbase_Press
Instagram: @fanbasepress
Website: fanbasepress.com

MATT MEDNEY
Twitter: @matthewmedney
Instagram: @matthewmedney
Website: matthewmedney.com

HEAVY METAL MAGAZINE
Twitter: @HeavyMetalInk
Instagram: @HeavyMetal
Website: https://linktr.ee/HeavyMetalMagazine

MATT HAWKINS
Twitter: @topcowmatt
Instagram: @mhawk5222
Website: http://matttalks.com

TOP COW
Twitter: @topcow
Instagram: @topcow
Website: topcow.com

Release Date: December 14, 2022

Run Time: 47:25
Matt Medney and Catherine Loubier

Episode Number: 81

David and Rylend sit down with Heavy Metal CEO Matt Medney and politico/clean energy advocate Catherine Loubier to discuss THE FIFTH FORCE, their ecological time travel comic book extravaganza… all while Matt enthusiastically watches the Brazilian soccer team beat the pants off of South Korea.

Episode download: TWB081.mp3

MATT MEDNEY
Twitter: @matthewmedney
Instagram: @matthewmedney
Website: matthewmedney.com

CATHERINE LOUBIER
Twitter: @CLoubier

HEAVY METAL MAGAZINE
Twitter: @HeavyMetalInk
Instagram: @HeavyMetal
Website: https://linktr.ee/HeavyMetalMagazine

Release Date: December 7, 2022

Run Time: 1:03:24
“Pandemic Survival” Panel from LBCC

Episode Number: 80

Live from Long Beach Comic Con! David talks with a gaggle of experienced comic pros - Kris Longo, Bobby Timony, and Barbra Dillon - about how they survived the COVID pandemic personally, professionally, psychologically, and spiritually. To an audience of hundreds. As far as you know.

Episode download: TWB080.mp3

BARBRA DILLON
Twitter: @barbrajdillon
Instagram: @barbrajdillon

FANBASE PRESS
Twitter: @fanbase_press
Instagram: @fanbasepress
Website: fanbasepress.com

KRIS LONGO
Twitter: @krislongo
Instagram: @kris_longo
Website: modernfanatic.com

BOBBY TIMONY
Twitter: @BobbyTimony
Instagram: @bobbytimony
Website: twincomics.com

Release Date: September 28, 2022

Run Time: 45:54
“It’s a Living” Panel from LBCC

Episode Number: 79

Live from Long Beach Comic Con! David and Rylend talk with a gang of experienced comic pros - Scott Koblish, Christie Shinn, and Don Walker - about how they actually making a living doing what they love, staying paid and keeping projects funded.

Episode download: TWB079.mp3

SCOTT KOBLISH
Twitter: @Koblish
Instagram: @scottkoblish
Website: koblish.blogspot.com

CHRISTIE SHINN
Twitter: @HoraToraStudios
Instagram: @HoraToraStudios
Website: https://linktr.ee/HoraToraStudios

DON WALKER
Instagram: don_spaceknight
Website: https://dorkempireink.bigcartel.com

Release Date: September 21, 2022

Run Time: 49:08
Kickstarter Panel from LBCC

Episode Number: 78

Live from Long Beach Comic Con! David and Rylend talk with an elite gaggle of veteran Kickstarter campaigners - Charlie Stickney (White Ash), Kelly Sue Milano (Hex11), and Steven Prince (Monster Matador) - about the ins and outs of crowdfunding your dream project.

Episode download: TWB078.mp3

CHARLIE STICKNEY
Twitter: @CharlesStickney
Instagram: @whiteashcomic
Website: whiteashcomic.com

KELLY SUE MILANO
Twitter: @kellysuesays
Instagram: @kellysuesays
Website: hexcomix.com

STEVEN PRINCE
Twitter: @monstermatador
Instagram: @monstermatador
Website: monstermatador.com

Release Date: September 14, 2022

Run Time: 47:23
Pat “Six Figure” Shand

Episode Number: 77

David and Rylend have a “creator’s guide” chat with writer Pat “Six Figure” Shand (CHEEKY) and talk pitching, publisher/producer note implementation, the dos/don’ts of “con schmoozing,” and best social media practices… and Rylend leaves about 3/4 into the show to go get Mr. T’s autograph at the Glendale Galleria.

Episode download: TWB077.mp3

PAT SHAND
Twitter: @PatShand
Instagram: @PatShand
Website: linktr.ee/PatShand

CHECK OUT PAT’S BOOK CHEEKY ON INDIEGOGO: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/cheeky-a-nsfw-graphic-novel/x/1947872#/

Release Date: August 10, 2022

Run Time: 1:41:04
Ray Chou

Episode Number: 76

David and Rylend sit down with writer Ray Chou (Skies of Fire) to talk about how he and his team built the Kickstarter publishing juggernaut Mythopoeia… and the guys trade ass-chapping Hollywood horror stories.

Episode download: TWB076.mp3

RAY CHOU
Twitter: @mythopoeians
Instagram: @mythopoeians
Website: https://www.mythopoeia.us/

Get the Skies of Fire Collected Edition on Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mythopoeia/skies-of-fire-collected-edition

Kickstarter How-To Blogs
www.mythopoeia.us/blog/kickstarter-breakdown-pt-i-continuing-an-ongoing-series

Release Date: August 3, 3022

Run Time: 1:21:48
SDCC 2022 Panel

Episode Number: 75

David and Rylend are coming to you LIVE from SDCC 2022 where they hosted a POST-PANDEMIC PUBLISHING LANDSCAPE panel with creators David Booher (CANTO), Charlie Stickney (White Ash), Ashley V. Robinson (Jupiter Jet), and David Pepose (Savage Avengers)… Also, Rylend narrowly defeated Lou Ferrigno in a high stakes game of Chinese checkers and Avallone received the key to the of San Diego city after foiling a plot by Hiroto cosplayers to steal NECA’s Last Ronin action figure prototypes.

Episode download: TWB075.mp3

DAVID M. BOOHER
Twitter: @davidbooher
Instagram: @davidmbooher
Website: https://davidbooher.com

CHARLIE STICKNEY
Twitter: @CharlesStickney
Instagram: @whiteashcomic
Website: https://whiteashcomic.com

ASHLEY V. ROBINSON
Twitter: @AshleyVRobinson
Instagram: @seanlewis6026
Website: linktr.ee/AshleyVRobinson

DAVID PEPOSE
Twitter: @Peposed
Instagram: Peposed
Website: linktr.ee/peposed

Release Date: July 27, 2022

Run Time: 50:52
Drew Edwards and Paulo J Hernandez

Episode Number: 74

David and Rylend sit down with Ringo-nominated writer Drew Edwards and artist Paulo J Hernandez to talk about their collaboration on HALLOWEEN MAN MEETS THE LATEX AVENGER… and the group furiously butts head over a very SERIOUS question… which is the superior movie? GHOSTBUSTERS? Or GHOSTBUSTERS 2? “VIGGO!”

Episode download: TWB074.mp3

DREW EDWARDS
Twitter: @halloweenmancom
Instagram: @drew_halloween
Website: halloweenman.com

PAULO J. HERNANDEZ
Twitter: @paulojhdz
Instagram: @paulojhdz
Website: paulojhdz.com

BACK HALLOWEEN MAN MEETS THE LATEX AVENGER ON INDIEGOGO: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/halloween-man-meets-the-latex-avenger#/

Release Date: July 20, 2022

Run Time: 1:35:21
Adam Lawson

Episode Number: 73

David and Rylend sit down with ESCAPE THE NIGHT showrunner Adam Lawson to discuss his new comic endeavor - an actiony collab with Hollywood legend Wesley Snipes - titled THE EXILED… and the three begin the long and arduous process of integrating for seamless viewing and analysis the post pipeline data coming back from NASA’s James Webb telescope.

Episode download: TWB073.mp3

ADAM LAWSON
Twitter: @GiftedRebelsCo
Instagram: @gongfuman/@giftedrebelsco
Website: giftedrebels.com

BACK THE EXILED ON KICKSTARTER: http://bit.ly/theexiled

Release Date: July 13, 2022

Run Time: 1:12:00

Main menu

The Writers Block

Episode Archive

Tilly Bridges

Moni Barrette

Josh Miller

Richard Fairgray

WGA Strike with Susan Hurwitz-Arneson

Andrew Pepoy

The Writers Strike with Christopher Cantwell

The Writers Strike with Melody Cooper

Ray-Anthony Height

Derek McCaw and Bearded Comic Bro

Blake Morgan and Brian Wayne

State of the Comics Union Panel from WonderCon

Kickstarter Now!

War Stories Panel from LACC

Where’s the Front Door? Panel from LACC

What Editors Want Panel from LACC

Matt Medney and Catherine Loubier

“Pandemic Survival” Panel from LBCC

“It’s a Living” Panel from LBCC

Kickstarter Panel from LBCC

Pat “Six Figure” Shand

Ray Chou

SDCC 2022 Panel

Drew Edwards and Paulo J Hernandez

Adam Lawson

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